


Hard Bargains

by radishleaf



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Post-Time Skip, Spoilers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, anyway another short and cute fic for another cute pair!!, it's just a kiss on the cheek but that counts right???, not necessarily but marking for spoilers just in case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-18
Packaged: 2020-10-21 00:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20684213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radishleaf/pseuds/radishleaf
Summary: Anna drives a hard bargain for a ring Ashe wishes to gift Byleth.





	Hard Bargains

**Author's Note:**

> i luv the good boi ashe.................
> 
> i am slowly making my way through fics i want to write for my favorite pairs in fe3h. i married ashe in my BL run, so here's a cute fic just for him.
> 
> as always, kindly disregard any grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and the like. i tried to be thorough. enjooooy.

Time, with its overarching, undeniable force, could change many things—not just people and places, but prices, too. The quarter that led into Garreg Mach Monastery was chiefly known for its bustling marketplace. Many—Ashe included—frequented its wares daily; due to its close proximity to the Officers Academy, he found his trips there worthwhile even when he had to weave and bob through the throng to find good deals. However, for him, it was worth it for the slashed prices on items he’d have to venture halfway across Fódlan for.

The mar of the war had changed the illustrious marketplace into a barren ground of basic barter and trade. Ashe expected as much even if he wished it not; many had fled to safer lands and greener pastures of which Garreg Mach Monastery was not. Still, he decided to entertain his old haunt if only for the nostalgia. Sellers greeted him chipperly even if he only paid them half a mind; his attention was completely taken by their wares. As his eyes roamed, Ashe couldn’t deny their stock was paltry. They either consisted of items not worth his time or outside his expertise.

His intermittent steps waned to a halt before a particular stall when something caught his eye. A silver ring embedded with a green jewel seemed to shimmer beneath the midafternoon sun as if putting on a show for purchase. Ashe’s gaze lingered on it; he couldn’t deny how the shade of green reminded him of the professor, beckoning forth some heat to his cheeks.

He couldn’t deny his affections for her; they lingered when he was a schoolboy dashing from class to class, a mainstay of his years as a teenager that he reckoned he would grow out of. But when Byleth returned to their lives like a miracle from the Goddess herself, the bud he thought he nipped unfurled with a bloom of emotion. After rekindling their friendship, Ashe knew he loved her. Loved her dearly, but he was too shy to say anything.

_A gift, though… It’s one way to convey my feelings, yes?_ he thought. _I-it wouldn’t be much, but I do want to give her something._

The confirming hum of the seller snapped Ashe’s eyes to her. “Well, well, if it isn’t a familiar face! Good to see you, Ashe,” Anna said with a cheeky smile. “Been a while, hasn’t it?”

“If it isn’t Anna!” Ashe said, beaming brightly at her. “I haven’t seen you since, well, five years ago, I take it?”

“Been about that long, yep!” Anna said. “At least, I _think_ that’s the last time you’ve bought something from me.” She winked at him. “I take it something’s caught your eye?”

Ashe indicated the ring. “Yes, this,” he said.

“Ah, the Goddess Ring! A good choice there, Ashe. Heals your up lickity-split if you’re hurt during battle. Sounds good for when you’re in a pinch, hm?”

Ashe couldn’t admit to her that it was the aesthetic that drew his interest, not the use, but hearing its effects made him doubly want to gift it to Byleth. Considering how she rushed into battle without a hint of hesitance, she frequented scrapes and scars on her person. She was holed up in the infirmary most days as a result; if he could lessen that time, maybe then he could spend more of it with her.

Ashe’s earnest interest dropped along with his jaw when he saw the price tag on the ring, however. He tried to reason that 2,500 gold paled in comparison to the rippling effects the ring would have on Byleth’s life, but he was still a bargainer at heart. Unfortunately, Anna—not once—bended before his whims.

Mentally pulling up his big boy pants, Ashe decided to test his wits against the one merchant he never had success knocking down a peg. It’d been five years—maybe her resolve crumbled a bit. Wincing a little, Ashe inched his forefinger and thumb together as he said, “Do you mind coming down on the price a bit? It’s a little steep.”

Anna propped a hand on her hip in tandem with the arch of a quizzical brow. “Seriously, Ashe?” she said. “Five years and you’re still holding onto old habits?”

“C’mon, Anna,” he pleaded. “Just hear me out.”

She sighed. “_Fine_,” Anna said. “Tell me what you had in mind. Make it worth my while.”

“Erm, well…”

His pocket was weighed down at by a bullion he obtained from a bandit he downed from a recent battle, but other than, he was limited to the 500 gold he had on hand. It was a tight bargain, but if played his cards right, maybe Anna would agree. Just as Ashe opened his mouth, mentally combing for the right words, he croaked to silence when a familiar figure stepped up beside him.

Byleth leaned forward, emerald eyes scanning Anna’s wares. Her hair softly brushed along her nape, but she thumbed it back behind her ear, making Ashe swallow thickly. Of all people, he hadn’t expected to see the professor at the marketplace. He thought she would’ve been busy with the others or on repairs on the monastery, but considering things, even she needed a break from it all.

“P-Professor,” Ashe said. “What are you…?”

Byleth blinked before turning to him. “Ashe,” she said in a way of greeting. “I’m shopping. Are you doing the same?”

“A-ah, yes! Yes, I am…”

“Are you interested in something?” She indicated Anna’s wares with a cock of her chin. “You were staring just now.”

Ashe managed a sheepish laugh. “There was something, yes,” he said. “That ring there—the one with the green jewel. It’s called a Goddess Ring and said to heal the wearers some during battle. I was just going to bargain with Anna for it.”

“And I’m still waiting on you, you know,” Anna interjected. “What’s your offer, Ashe?”

Ashe was so taken by Byleth, he’d forgotten he was still in the midst of bargaining with Anna. “Right! Well, if you’re willing to take this”—he produced the bullion from his pocket—“and the gold I have on hand, I can offer 1,500, and maybe an extra 500 later?”

Anna hummed in thought before she shook her head. “It’s a pretty good offer, but still a little too low for me. That ring _was_ hard to come by…”

Desperation edged Ashe’s tone. “T-then if you’re willing to wait a bit, I can get you 1,000 gold by the end of the week to pay the ring off completely.”

“Again, tempting offer, but I’m going to have to decline, Ashe.” Anne turned her brows up dolefully at him. “Nothing against you; I know you’re true to your word. But there’s no guarantee I’ll be here at the end of the week. I go with the sales, and even I can’t wait around for 1,000 gold. I’m sorry.”

Ashe gave a one-shoulder shrug. “No, no, that’s all right, Anna. Thanks for hearing me out. It’s appreciated.”

Ashe’s shoulders drooped with the heavy sigh he gave. He felt awful to have his intentions crumble like dust in the wind, especially when Byleth stood right beside him. She had remained quiet during his exchange with Anna, once making him think she had moved on, but she seemed piqued by the bargaining. Maybe she was looking for tips? That’s the only thought that came to his mind as Byleth stepped forward to talk to Anna.

Anna flashed Byleth her professional smile. “Hey there, Professor! Good to see you again,” she said. “Came to buy something, too?”

Byleth dipped her head, and much to Ashe’s astonishment, she pointed to the ring Ashe had indicated before. “I would like to purchase that, please,” she said.

Anna blinked. “Sure you can, but…” Her eyes slid to Ashe. “Are you sure?”

It took a beat, but Ashe realized what the Byleth was attempting. He immediately began to flounder, waving hands about in protest even as she produced a heavy sack of coin and dropped it onto Anna’s stall.

“P-Professor!” Ashe cried. “Y-you don’t have to! I mean it! T-that ring was—”

His words fell on deaf ears as Byleth plucked up the ring, nodded respectfully to Anna to confirm the purchase, and then turned to Ashe. She clapped up one of his waving hands and pressed the ring into his palm, a small smile playing on lips as she said, “Here. For you.”

“P-Professor…”

Ashe’s freckled cheeks burned with a mixture of shame, affection, and embarrassment. The sentiment was sweet—_too_ sweet—that he found himself at a loss for words. The world about him became muted, faraway, as he slipped his hand over Byleth’s. He almost lost himself to his burgeoning feelings had he not become aware of Anna’s curious gaze lingering on both of them.

“Ah, Professor… Do you mind?” he asked as he caught her wrist with his other hand. “I want, ah, _need_ to talk to you somewhere. Alone. If that’s all right.”

Though she drew her brows up in concern, Byleth nodded her head, and allowed Ashe to lead her away from the marketplace and into the depths of Garreg Mach Monastery. He opted for the main hall; save the gatekeeper some distance away, not a soul lingered, giving them some privacy. Byleth tilted her head curiously when Ashe released her and began to wring his hands nervously. Everything had felt easier when they were in the marketplace; now to their lonesome, Ashe couldn’t find the right words.

He decided to begin with the truth. Proffering the ring, Ashe said, “As much as I appreciate your generosity, this is actually yours.”

Byleth shook her head again. Closing his fingers around the ring, she said insistently, “For you.”

“No, no, you misunderstand, Professor,” Ashe said. “I was going to buy this ring for _you. _As a gift, I-I mean.”

Byleth’s lips parted in awe. “For me?” she asked “Why?”

“E-erm, well…” Ashe tugged at his collar. Had the monastery grown considerably warm, or was it just him? “Y-you see, P-Professor… I…”

Byleth suddenly perked up and began to pat around her person. Ashe, drawn to silence, watched her pull out a silver ring from the pocket of her coat. She held it up beside Ashe’s ring, both glinting from the flickering sconces on the wall.

Lips parting, Ashe said, “Oh, Professor, you… You already had a ring, huh?” He gave a strained laugh. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked first. I made you spend all of that gold for nothing.”

Byleth shook her head. “No,” she said. “This isn’t a Goddess Ring. Dad—Jeralt—he…” She pursed her lips solemnly as her eyes lingered on the ring. “I’m supposed to give it to someone.”

“I see…” Ashe couldn’t quite comprehend what Byleth was insinuating, but if she was going to exchange her ring for his, he’d have to decline. “It seems special, Professor. You should hold onto it for when the time is right.”

Byleth hummed in thought. “Yes,” she said. “For when the time is right… I don’t think that time is now.” She pocketed the ring. “But what about your ring? Are you still going to give it to me?”

Ashe gave her a little smile. “If you’re willing to take it, then yes,” he said. “I want you to have it, Professor. It was you I wanted to gift it to.”

“Then I will happily take it,” Byleth said as she received the ring and slipped it on. She studied the gem for a moment as it glittered in the light before looking up worriedly at Ashe. “But I don’t have anything to give you in return,” she said.

Ashe flashed his palms at her. “Oh, you don’t have to give me anything, Professor,” he said. “Just knowing you’re content with my gift is a gift in and of itself.”

“But, Ashe…”

“I mean it, Professor. It’s enough.”

Byleth huffed a little. “It might be enough for you, but it’s not enough for me,” she said. “There must be something I can do.” Before Ashe could begin to protest again, an idea registered in Byleth’s mind, and she stepped forward. “I think I have something I can give you.”

“Huh? W-what is it, Profess—”

Ashe’s thoughts stymied and his body went rigid when he felt the slight weight of Byleth against his chest. She had leaned onto him for balance as she tipped up on her toes, smoothing a hand along his jaw to hold his face steady. Gently, she pressed a peck to his cheek. Though chaste and innocent—simply a gesture in gratitude—Ashe couldn’t deny how his heart beat erratically, making his blood boil.

Was Byleth even aware of what she’d done? Was she aware of how he felt? Was she teasing him? Was she just thanking him? Such questions and so much more ran through his head, but when Byleth pulled back, her expression glowed with an affection even she seemed unaware of. Ashe swallowed thickly; worst yet than the kiss, never before did he think she’d _look_ at him like that.

“Thank you, Ashe,” Byleth said, her voice dropping to a low, warm note. Ashe thought he felt her breath against his lips despite the distance between them. “I appreciate the gift you’ve given me.”

“Y-you’re, ah, you’re… Y-you’re welcome, Professor,” Ashe ground out, the nails of his balled fists digging through the leather of his gloves. The pain helped him regain his composure. “I’m, ah, g-glad you like it…”

**Author's Note:**

> btw, i'm not implying that the engagement ring a character gives byleth at the end /is/ the goddess ring, i just wanted to use an in-game item for this fic, aha.


End file.
